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Kristine Mirelle to return to Municipal Auditorium stage

Kristine Mirelle will return to Sweetwater for the Sweetest Day Benefit Concert Saturday, Oct. 19. She will be one of three female musicians performing that night, starting at 6 p.m. at the Sweetwater Municipal Auditorium. Mirelle was one of the first performers to play on the new electronic baby grand piano at the Municipal Auditorium last December.Music began at the piano for Mirelle, who grew up in Roswell, N.M., and began taking piano lessons when she was just four years old.“I grew up on the outskirts of town, and there wasn’t a whole lot to do, so I just played the piano all day and night,” she said. All that practice turned her into an international guild pianist as a teen.She took her music to a different level at the age of 17 when she recorded her first album in her boyfriend’s closet. “It was about as glamorous as recording in a closet could be,” she pointed out. But she knew then that she wanted to make music her career and not just her hobby.Mirelle took to the streets of Roswell and peddled her music door-to-door, even singing on unsuspecting residents’ doorsteps. Although about 9 out of 10 people asked her to stop singing, it was the few people that said “yes” that kept her dreams of becoming a professional musician alive.She worked hard and stuck to her dream of working as a musician and nothing else. “I didn’t have another job, so if people didn’t buy my CDs, I was out of luck,” she said. Staying at Motel 6 or on friends’ couches and living off the dollar menu at McDonald’s helped her survive that time.Her hard work paid off when she got a record deal with Upstairs Records, and two singles, “Let Go” and “Candy” both got radio play in the southwest part of the country. She also earned a following in Japan, which surprised her.Music also takes Mirelle to places like Africa not only to perform, but also to reach out to those in need. She has had the opportunity to teach children music in impoverished communities and schools.Mirelle explained that her music is ever evolving. She describes her current style as pop/soul and said her music is inspired by the music of the 1960s.She is currently working on a new album, which includes two new singles now on iTunes – “Over and Over” and “Temporary High.” You can also find her videos on YouTube. She performs in Hollywood 6-7 days a week in different places around the city, and in the last 15 months has performed in more than 400 shows around Los Angeles.“I’m pretty excited to say that none of those shows took place on anyone’s doorsteps,” she pointed out.Tickets to the show at the Municipal Auditorium are $10 each or $25 for premium seating. Proceeds will benefit continued improvements to the auditorium.Mirelle will share the stage with Texas Country artist Kimberly Dunn and a past top 5 contestant from The Voice, Melanie Martinez. A reception at the Sweetwater Country Club will follow the concert. Contact the Chamber of Commerce at 235-5488 for tickets.